| | | | | Equality bodies/Ombudsoffices from the Eastern Partnership are taking important initiatives during COVID 19 crisis | | | | | |
| | | In Armenia, the Human Rights Defender published a guide on the new Coronavirus and human rights in the State of Emergency. The protection of human rights requires a complex approach. Therefore, the national minorities of Armenia should be able to receive information on the State of Emergency and limitations on human rights in an accessible language. Given this approach, this guide was translated into Assyrian, Hindi , Russian, English, Yazidi and Kurdish. The Human Rights Defender also produced an awareness raising video about redress to make its support known widely.The Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan organised several online meetings on legal issues and on specific rights, for example on domestic violence during COVID 19. The Ombudsperson also issued a special call related to the protection of rights of vulnerable groups of the population, such as persons with disabilities, migrants, children and addressed to the relevant governmental bodies to pay special attention to ensuring their urgent needs. In Georgia, on 25 March two municipalities, inter alia, inhabited by Azeri speaking population, were declared as quarantine zones and “closed down”, as an Azeri woman was diagnosed with COVID. This fact was followed by several humiliating comments on Facebook, associating the cause of infection with Azeri ethnicity. In support of Azeri speaking population, the Public Defender made a public statement, condemning this practice and calling upon the society to prevent hate speech. In the Republic of Moldova, the Equality Council developed information materials about discrimination of people infected with COVID, about whether the restrictions due to COVID are discriminatory or not, and impact of discrimination in relation to COVID. The Equality Council also gave its views on norms developed in the context of COVID 19, in order to avoid discrimination. It co-organised a meeting for journalists on human rights in the context of COVID 19. It also carried out social media activities to raise awareness. The Moldovan Ombudsperson made several public statements related to non-discrimination in the context of COVID 19. The specific situation of people with disabilities and of the Moldovan diaspora was raised, especially in order to avoid segregation and hate speech against these groups. Social media messages raised awareness about the discrimination that people infected with COVID 19 can face. In Ukraine, the Ombudsperson has urged public figures not to disseminate messages that show signs of discrimination, the media - not to publish materials that include hostility towards any category of persons, and citizens - to be tolerant to each other and respect the rights and freedoms of others. Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected vulnerable groups, including Roma families living in settlements. Because of social isolation, the vast majority of the Roma families in the settlements are unable to provide themselves with the necessary means of protection, food, or medicine or water. The Ombudsperson in partnership with the Council of Europe project “Protecting national minorities, including Roma, and minority languages in Ukraine” initiated the monitoring of impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to Roma community in Ukraine.
At European level, FRA – the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union has a specific page and information on the impact of COVID 19 on fundamental rights. Learn more here.
The Council of Europe Secretariat of the Steering Committee on Anti-discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI), prepared an Introductory Note on the Anti-discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of the response to COVID 19. |
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